“Yes!” I yell, blocking Ambrose’s weapon by its wooden hilt. Jerking it forward, I yank the axe from his grasp, and it crashes to the ground.

I win this round, but in case Ambrose rebounds with another attack, I skip back, out of his strike zone. I use the shoulder of my T-shirt to wipe away sweat that’s dripping into my eyes.

A voice comes from the stairs above us. “Ambrose, you might consider lightening up. Louis’s going to change his mind and move back to Brittany.” Kate perches on the edge of a step. Then I see who’s next to her, and my mouth feels dry as sand.

“Hi,” I manage to croak.

Siaka slow claps. My guts are in a knot, but his smile lights a flame inside my chest. “You’re actually keeping up with Ambrose,” he calls. “I’m impressed!”

I allow myself a quick glance at the mirror. Normally tan, I’m now bright red. I look like someone just fished an underweight lobster out of the sea and shoved a sword into its claws. Beside me, Ambrose is pumped like a superhero, his ebony skin barely damp with sweat.

“That might have just been the hardest workout I have ever had,” I say, gasping for breath. “Can we call it a day?”

“If you agree to a rematch tomorrow, same time, same place,” he says, doing a fancy baton spin with the battle axe. He tosses it toward the pegs on the wall, and it actually lands right side up and settles into place. Everything this guy does is impressive. To say he’s intimidating would be the understatement of the century. He drapes a towel around his shoulders and heads toward the showers.

“I’m just delivering Siaka,” Kate says, rising to her feet, “instead of hanging out with you guys, which would be more fun. Got a meeting in the library.” She rolls her eyes dramatically and disappears up the stairs.

“Bran and I came over together,” Siaka says. “He’s working with Kate and Vincent today. I thought you and I could go to the lab.”

“Sure,” I say, leaning forward, hands on knees, trying to catch my breath. My hair is dripping with sweat. “Do I have time for a shower?”

“Um... that’s probably a good idea,” he says. “Not that I’m close enough to smell. Just guessing.”

I jokingly sniff my underarm. Ugh, acrid. “You guessed right. Shower’s imperative. I’ll be up in a few.”

Siaka turns to follow Kate up the stairs, and I turn to see Ambrose’s head above one of the shower cubicles, emerging from a cloud of steam. He looks at me and laughs. “I didn’t know it was humanly possible to sweat as much as you do.”

“At least I can beat you at something,” I say.